Bookmakers reports half-year profits of £55m - 50% less than this period last year, blaming heatwave for low footfall

Profits at Ladbrokes have wilted as soaring temperatures kept people out of betting shops.

Pre-tax profits at the UK's second largest bookmaker halved to £55m in the first half of the year, compared to £107m last year, which the company blamed in part on the summer heatwave.

Footfall was down 10-15% in July across Ladbrokes' 2,270 UK shops, while the company said that returns from its instore gaming machines declined in June and were severely affected by prolonged hot weather in the following month.

The weather had even boosted punters' chances against the house: sun-baked ground on the horseracing track prompted runners to withdraw from races, leaving smaller fields that boosted the chances of favourites winning, the bookmaker claimed. Earlier in the year, Ladbrokes was hit by poor spring weather that caused numerous race cancellations.

Do the PR people fancy themselves as stand up comics?

Hot weather is to blame for a fall in profits not that people may have the spare money to gamble?